How couple aids plant growth to control carbon levels in state

By Jack Money

Published: August 30, 2008

GEARY — To longtime landowner Nadyne Burruss, a carbon sequestration pilot program unveiled by state officials this week makes good sense.

Burruss and her husband, Merrill, have about 1,000 acres here, including an 80-acre section that the North Canadian River flows through.

With the help of local state conservation officials, the Burrusses will fence off land on either side of the river to keep cattle away from its shores, except for rock-bottomed crossings where the animals will be able to water themselves.

Within the fenced areas, tree and plant growth will be allowed along the river's shores as a way to keep carbon in the ground, where it belongs. The vegetation also will help protect water quality by filtering out sediments, pesticides, fertilizers and nutrients from rainwater runoff.

The Burresses will be paid $3.50 by the Oklahoma Carbon Initiative for every metric ton of carbon per year they preserve within the ecosystem.

Credits for those preserved tons, in turn, will be bought by the Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, which in turn can sell those in a cap and trade market or use them to offset carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. Estimates of carbon savings and payments for those will be made by the Oklahoma Carbon Initiative, and its work will be verified by the Oklahoma Conservation Commission.

The pilot program involves land within the North Canadian River's watershed. Officials plan to expand the program statewide, eventually.

Burruss said Friday she is proud to be in the program, and that her first husband, Donald Ice, was raised on the river.

"This is something he would like,” she said, "because it will restore the banks to like they once were. And he was very progressive in his farming.”

Burruss also complimented conservation officials for helping plan and helping pay for the improvements.

Debi Carnott, the programs coordinator for the Central North Canadian River Conservation District, said the carbon sequestration program is an add-on to a water quality program started early this year. The district is working with numerous land owners on water quality, and already is taking many inquiries about the carbon sequestration program.

The conservation district manages a 376,000-acre area along the river from El Reno in Canadian County to just south of Greenfield in Blaine County.

"All of our programs are voluntary,” Carnott said.

At a news conference this week, Scotty Herriman, president of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, said the carbon sequestration program "will help address not only water quality issues, but also help reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere.”

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